Limited visiting allowed on some Warrington Hospital wards

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is reintroducing limited visiting from today, Tuesday, as coronavirus restrictions ease.

The trust says the phased approach to visiting is possible due a reduction in Covid-19 infection in the community, and will apply to patients in the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Cardiac Care Unit and wards A7, A8, K25 and B19.

Patients on these wards will be able to receive one visitor for up to one hour per day at an allocated slot, which needs to be booked with the ward 24 hours in advance.

There are some exceptions and different arrangements apply for children on inpatient wards, pregnant women using maternity services, those patients with a mental health issue or cognitive impairment and for those patients who are at the end of their life.

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, chief nurse and deputy chief executive at Warrington and Halton hospitals, welcomed the decision.

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, chief nurse and deputy chief executive at Warrington and Halton hospitals

She said: “We know how important visits from family and friends are to patients when in hospital, and we are working hard to deliver a safe reintroduction within a limited number of wards at this time.

“As we look to take this important next step, it is vital that all patients and their visitors abide by the new visiting guidance by booking a slot in advance, arriving no earlier than the allocated slot and leaving the ward when this has finished.

“It is also important to stress how important it remains to continue to adhere to social distancing, always wearing face coverings over the mouth and nose when on the hospital site and maintaining good hand hygiene.”

Visiting was suspended across the NHS in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, except in exceptional circumstances.

The phased reintroduction will be reviewed before it is extended to other wards.

Visitors must follow the safe visiting guidance issued to them throughout the visit and visiting will be restricted or suspended with immediate effect in the event of a spread of infection on hospital wards or in the local community.

Visitors who experience any symptoms of Covid-19 infection – a high temperature, new continuous cough or a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – must not visit hospitals and should postpone any planned visit.